Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-04-22

peared in behalf of the Southern Pacific
A. T.'Britton, Attorney, and James T.
| Goddard, Assistant General Manager Of
the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe; Gen.
eral VIM. Belknap of the St. Louis and
San Francisco, and George Gray. Attor-
ney for the Missouri Pacific,
J appeared before the commissioners in
behalf of their respective companies, and
| by petitions and arguments asked for q
suspension OF the fourth clause of the
| Interstate commerce act, each claiming
! if it was enforced It would be impossible
for their lines to compete with the Cans
dian Pacific or water routes.
Arguments of representatives Of the
transcontinental railways was strongly
condemned by the opponents Of suSpen-
sion of the fourth clause. j. S Sesrls,
Jr., Of New York, representing
the sugar refiners of East St.
Louis, appeared to enter protest against
the granting Of the San Francisco re-
fners' petition. He told the history OF the
rise Of the Hawaiian sugar trade to point
where importation from the island ex-
ceeded the consumption of the Pacific
coast. Then to make q mar
ket for this surplus the i'm
porters entered into q combination with
railroads by means OF which they were
enabled to Law down this foreign com
modify admitted duty free at prices with
which eastern T6fnerS could not compete
A result had been the closing up of the
St. Louis refinery which had cost
81 500, 900. Railroads had gwen rates
which were less than half the charges to
intermediate points.
Mr.. Taft presented O communication
from Sumon & Co.'S dispatch line, setting
forth that the action of the traus,Conti-
mental roads towards the shipping inter
eSts has been Of the most violent
nature. They had taken the long
haul traffic at a less, which they
must make up from charges
on short haul traffic. The writers pro
tested against the suspension of the long
and short haul section unless fair COM
petiug traffic shall be made that
will enable shippers OF various
goods to forward them by sail.
Mr.. Taft said he could not conceive
that it was the purpose OF the lawmakers
TO throw upon the commission any
such task as that brought here by the
railroads. 1t seemed to be the purpose
of the railroads to force it 80 aCquaint
itself with all the dpta' Is of questions
involving the interests of the entire
country. There were classes Of goods
which ships could carry cheaper than the
roads could possibly do. To fght for
traffic could not be competing,
as It would cause determination
of water carriers. To grant the: prayers
of the roads would be to destroy the pur-
pose of the law if it were settled that the
roads could not carry except at & profit
that will leave the ocean carriers nothing
to complain Of. He held that
special cases preferred to The law in
which the relief might oe granted by the
commission were cases where special
classes of goods between particular
points required departure from the gen
eral principles, in which cases the commits
sion after investigation might grant relief.
Railroad companies were now engaged
in trying TO have the law suspended. II
they knew the law would not be sus-
pended they would be engaged in carry
ing cut It's provisions in way to make
them successful. He asked That the law
be not suspended.